SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) – Two developers who competed for the right to host Springfield’s new courthouse have filed a joint lawsuit challenging the state’s selection of 125 Liberty Street as the site of the Roderick Ireland Regional Justice Center.

USPB JV, owned by Jeb Balise, and Springfield Tower Square LLC, owned by Dinesh Patel, filed the lawsuit Thursday against the Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) and developer Liberty Junction.

The suit aims to prevent the commonwealth from finalizing a lease for the proposed courthouse at 125 Liberty Street, the site awarded to the Liberty Junction proposal, before a judge can review it. The developers are also seeking a temporary restraining order and an injunction to halt the state from moving forward with the winning bid.

“This is not an effort to stop Springfield from getting a new courthouse. It is an effort to prevent the Commonwealth from locking taxpayers into a 40-year lease before serious questions about the award are reviewed,” Balise said in a statement.

The attorneys representing Balise and Patel filed a motion to have the temporary restraining order and injunction heard as soon as Friday.

The lawsuit centers on three main complaints: an undisclosed conflict of interest involving the Liberty Junction proposal, questions over whether that team had proper site control for 125 Liberty Street, and allegations that DCAMM - the state agency overseeing the process - applied rules inconsistently to different bidders.

John Barros, identified in the lawsuit as a main broker connected to the Liberty Junction bid team, is a central figure in the conflict of interest allegation. Also named is Conan Harris, a principal at CoJo Partners, who is identified alongside Barros as part of the alleged conflict. The suit alleges Barros violated conflict of interest laws after he was appointed interim executive director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority in January 2026 while DCAMM was still evaluating proposals. The Convention Center Authority operates public facilities across the state, including the MassMutual Center in Springfield, located near the proposed courthouse site.

“A nearly $2 billion, 40-year commitment has to be built on a foundation of trust and transparency. We’re asking the court to press pause so Springfield gets the fair, honest process it deserves,” Patel said in a statement.

Western Mass News reached out multiple times to John Barros, Conan Harris, the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, and the Liberty Junction team. None responded as of Thursday. DCAMM said it had no comment.

The Liberty Junction proposal and the 125 Liberty Street site were announced as the winning selection one week ago. The announcement drew both praise and pushback from local officials, including Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno.

Western Mass News will continue to follow this story and will have more information as it becomes available.

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